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Meal patterns and obesity in Swedish women–a simple instrument describing usual meal types, frequency and temporal distribution

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 56, pages 740–747 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To characterize meal patterns in relation to obesity in Swedish women using a simple instrument describing meal frequency, meal types and temporal distribution.

Design: Cross-sectional parallel group design.

Subjects: Eighty-three obese women from the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study were compared with 94 reference women, randomly recruited from the population.

Method: A new, simplified and self-instructing questionnaire was used to assess meal patterns. Usual meal pattern was reported as time and meal type for each intake episode during a typical day.

Results: The obese women consumed 6.1 meals/day compared with 5.2 meals/day among the reference women (P<0.0001). All types of meals except ‘drink meals’ were significantly more frequently consumed in the obese group. The obese women also displayed a different meal pattern across the day, consuming a larger number of meals later in the day. As a result a larger fraction of each obese woman's total meals were consumed in the afternoon and in the evening/night. There was no difference in the number of obese vs reference women consuming breakfast. Snack meals were positively associated with total energy intake in both groups.

Conclusions: A new simplified method assessing meal pattern revealed that the number of reported intake occasions across a usual day was higher in obese women compared with controls and the timing was shifted to later in the day. These findings should be considered in the treatment of obesity.

Sponsorship: Swedish Medical Research Council (27x-11653 and 19x-05239).

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Author notes

  1. H Bertéus Forslund: Guarantor: AK Lindroos.

  2. H Bertéus Forslund, AK Lindroos, L Sjöström and L Lissner: Contributors: HBF initiated the study, developed the meal pattern questionnaire, collected the data, did the statistical analysis, participated in the discussion of results and wrote the paper. LL initiated the study, participated in the discussion of results and wrote the paper. AKL participated in the discussion of results and wrote the paper. LS participated in the discussion of results and reviewed the paper.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

    H Bertéus Forslund, AK Lindroos & L Sjöström

  2. Institute of Community Medicine, Gothenburg University and Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenburg, Sweden

    L Lissner

Authors
  1. H Bertéus Forslund
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  2. AK Lindroos
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  3. L Sjöström
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  4. L Lissner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to AK Lindroos.

Appendix

Appendix

Meal patterns

Describe how you eat during a usual 24 h period. Give a time for each eating episode and mark with a cross the type of meal which corresponds best.

Do not forget snacks, other ‘light meals’ and drinks.

Note, you can have several main meals during a day.Appendix 1

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Bertéus Forslund, H., Lindroos, A., Sjöström, L. et al. Meal patterns and obesity in Swedish women–a simple instrument describing usual meal types, frequency and temporal distribution. Eur J Clin Nutr 56, 740–747 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601387

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